With no incidents and in a relaxed atmosphere, Belgrade Pride Parade and the first ever Trans Pride ended in Pionirski park in front of buildings of Serbian Presidency and Assembly of Belgrade. Among the citizens who took part in Pride Parade were Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport and European Parliament Member Knut Fleckenstein.
Pride parade was “opened” by playwright Biljana Srbljanovic who said that Belgrade Pride already became “a tradition and routine” and reminded of the long journey Pride Parade took since its beginning in 2001 and the violence that then took place in front of Student Cultural Centre and in Manjez Park, when LGBT persons were “fenced off and locked up in inside.”
Member of Pride Parade Organising Committee, Boban Stojanovic, said that Pride was about people who “should take a quantum of pride every day.” “We are one of the most resented social groups in the country and we say that each one of us should have at least a quantum of pride because apathy and silence lead nowhere,” Stojanovic said.
A large number of police officers and fully-equipped members of special units secured the Pride Parade, whereas the streets were closed for traffic and pedestrians since the early morning hours. Armoured vehicles were spotted in the streets, while a helicopter was flying over the city. There were, however, no incidents at the Parade.
Beside LGBT members, central city streets were also walked down by EU representatives, Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport, European Parliament Member Knut Fleckenstein, Swedish Minister of Culture and Democracy Alice Bah Kuhnke as well as many diplomats, including US Ambassador Michael Kirby.
This year’s Pride Parade was also supported by Mayor of Belgrade Sinisa Mali, Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic, Minister of Culture and Information Ivan Tasovac, Head of Serbia’s EU Negotiating Team Tanja Miscevic and Commissioner of Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic.
